Talk to me about slings

[blushingmare]

I really don't know much about them and have never seen one in use, except the Baby Bjorn ones, which I don't like (I'm a physio and when I look at them I just think "ouch their hips"!)

Is it possible to use a decent sling in place of a pram? I live in London and think using a sling on public transport would be so much easier than dealing with a buggy, but don't know if it will get uncomfortable after a while, especially with also having to carry around baby changing stuff etc.

If you do the above, where do you put baby once you get to where you're going and want to be sling free for a bit?

If I go to a sling library, is there any point if I haven't had baby yet so wont be able to try if in it?

Can you recommend me a sling for the above purpose? So must be ergonomically good for baby and adult. Don't want anything too "hippyish" (no offence meant) or difficult to put on. Would rather not have anything in weird patterned material. And would like DH to be able to use it too.

Also, are there any good shops to look at for slings other than the conventional baby Bjorn type?

Thanks!

I used a moby wrap a lot when my DS was small, in place of a pushchair when I went to the shops or supermarket, but prob only for an hour to an hour and a half max. I have big boobs so it wasn't always comfy after a while to begin with on engorged boobs and it got hot even though he was October born. I used it for about a year, then he got a bit big and I didn't fancy using it on my back. It was perfect for short trips, and to settle him ( and the paediatrician commented that it looked great for hip position) but for longer shopping trips I used a pushchair so that I had a place to put shopping etc instead of lugging it all around! It may also be a bit hippyish for you, I don't know! here

you might like something like a patapum or a babyhawk oh snap. Nice and wide where the hips sit unlike the baby bjorn. I'm a big fan of ring slings and used one regularly with ds until he was about 3 (he loved sleeping in it, and that was very handy when we'd be out and about for the day without a pushchair). There are some good websites like little possums and big mama slings have a good wide range of stuff. I intend to carry dc2 as much as possible when she's born in the summer, although summer carries can get a bit sweaty if you are doing a lot of walking.

moby wrap is fabulous for a newborn, but I also used my babyhawk mei tai a LOT when mine were a bit bigger.

my friend has a sling website here. she is based in Essex and can give demonstrations and consultations if you're on the right side of London!
(i can also pass on a 10% discount code if you PM me)

that post wasn't meant to sound quite so much like an advert, I apologise

I had a hotsling, which is just like a big loop of slightly stretchy material which goes diagonally over you from shoulder to hip. It was brilliant for letting me pop to the corner shop or be hands free at home, but for DC2 I've got something more like a moby sling to use for longer stretches of time. My SIL used it (on her front and later on her back) for her youngest and took it on holiday instead of a pushchair. She tells me it takes a little getting used to, but quickly becomes very easy to put on and tie. They also had a lightweight back carrier once baby got bigger and this was very useful as it had an inbuilt bag for baby change stuff.

My DH felt all slings were far too hippy for him and used a baby bjorn, but I always found my sling more comfortable for me to wear.

There is also an issue with what size your baby is - DS was big and heavy and that was what limited how long we could use the sling and back carrier for.

Moby was great as a newborn, but it can get hot especially as DS was a summer baby. I absolutely loved the Beco Butterfly - can't fault it it any way. Its based on a climbing harness and so very padded and adjustable, which was really important and I both DH and I wanted to use it and we are very different sizes and shapes. It was quite expensive - about £90 - but DH (6 '3'') and I (5'5') used it solidly for about 18 months. Second bigamaslings being very good indeed.

I use a Rose and rebellion and it's fantastic, DS is now around 26lb and I can comfortably carry him in it for around an hour at a time, but can go long if needed. They are patterned on 1 side and plain black on the other. I use patterned side, dh uses plain! It also folds very small so I just pop it into it's bag when I take it off, fits fine into the changing bag with all my other gubbins!

It is still worth going to a sling library even while still pregnant. Both London sling libraries I know of (Greenwich & Lewisham SL and South London SL) have weighted demo dolls you can try the slings with - bit awkward with a bump but still doable - and in any case you can get a much better idea how things fit and work by seeing them in person, seeing other people try them, etc.

There aren't many bricks and mortar shops around because margins on slings tend to be low and shop rents high. And all the big stores only stock the big brands - so it's difficult to see a decent choice.

I rarely use a pram (although I still have one as with a 16 month gap between my first two I really needed to sling one and push the other) and find it fine. For the putting them down thing, in the early days I'd happily lay them on the grass on a blanket in the park, or find a sofa in a coffee shop etc. Once they can sit in a highchair they can sit there for a bit. If asleep I'll just sit down and get on with coffee/chat/whatever with the baby still in the sling.

This might suit you - Ergo. Has the baby facing you with legs slightly raised and hips supported.

It very easy to put on, just buckles, no wrapping or anything. It is quite comfortable as it distributes the baby's weight evenly between your shoulders and hips with the straps. Easy to adjust for your size as well.

I got a plain black one from Amazon and have used it since four months with a large baby (98th centile!), and it still gets a lot of use at 10 months, mainly by DH for longer walks as DS is a bit on the heavy side for me to carry for too long, but it is still good for quick trips to the shop etc.

I think if you want it for a newborn you need to get the insert to support the head. I used a Moby wrap too in the early days and loved it for settling round the house, getting stuff done etc, but found it a bit faffy and hot when out and about, (April baby)and DS got heavy for it quite quickly.

Thanks great advice everyone. That Big Mama website is great - kept
Me amused at 4am today and now feel much more informed!

I have a Manduca for my 8mo DS but it has a newborn insert for tinies. As they get bigger you can also do hip and back carries. It also has a little head support for when they fall asleep. I can carry the beast (24lb) in it for well over an hour. They sit in the 'M' position, which I believe is supposed to be the best for their hips.

It is German and looks quite engineered and not hippy at all. DH likes it for that reason! I flounce around in my stripey Ellaroo ring sling when I feel the hippy mum vibe.

We have a manduca - got one because we didn't want to get a separate insert for the ergo. It's great but fiddly when i need to transfer DD in and out of the carseat. Also when she was tiny, I preferred the close carrier.

I use a Close sling and have carried my son for a couple of hours at a time, on and off the tube / bus without a problem. It's easy to adjust the height of the carry as you go by pulling the material tighter through the rings, so you can loosen it off when your baby wants a good look round and you can support him, then tighten it back up to be completely hands free when you are walking about.

I would recommend a backpack style change bag though, so you don't have too much weight on one shoulder.